Episode 06 - It Was A Small Wish (Part Two)
The Wolkenritter, Chrono explains, are internal programs of the Book of Darkness given humanoid form. Whenever the Book has appeared throughout history, those four knights have always been there with it. Their only goals are to complete the Book and protect their master... and there is no record of them ever demonstrating emotion or independent will. However, Nanoha and Fate say their encounters with Vita and Signum suggest they're capable of both. In any case, continues Chrono, the pattern of their movements implies their master is somewhere around Uminari. He suggests it might be easier to focus on capturing the master — who is likely an ordinary mage — instead of endlessly fighting the Wolkenritter. They also need to gather more information on the Book of Darkness itself; so saying, Chrono turns to Yuuno and says he wants a favour.
Walking home with Yuuno later, Nanoha wonders what kind of person the Book's master might be. It seems the Book of Darkness will randomly choose someone compatible whenever it respawns; Nanoha says it would be funny if that person turned out to be someone like her. Just then, she gets a text message from Suzuka, who attaches a photo of her new friend, Hayate.
After spending the night at Suzuka's, Hayate is driven home the next morning by Noel, the Tsukimura family maid. Anticipating Hayate's return, Signum and Shamal reflect on how much their lives have changed since she became their master. At the same time, Hayate, prompted by a question from Noel, starts reminiscing about the astonishing events of six months earlier...
Midnight on June 4th: the Book of Darkness activates, filling the room with eerie light. As Hayate watches in shock, another light appears to emerge from her own chest and is absorbed into the Book. Suddenly, she sees four strange figures appear kneeling before her: the Wolkenritter, who proclaim themselves her loyal servants. This is too much for Hayate and she faints, much to the surprise and consternation of her new knights.
Hayate wakes up at the hospital with Dr Ishida looking over her. After assuring her she's none the worse for wear, Ishida asks who the "strange people" are who brought Hayate in. Seeing Hayate at a loss for words, Signum speaks to her telepathically and offers to help. Thinking quickly, Hayate tells Ishida that they're relatives from her home country, and the Wolkenritter hastily confirm the story.
Back at home, the knights tell Hayate about the Book of Darkness, which she's had all her life but knows nothing about. What Hayate does know is that if she's going to be the Wolkenritter's "master", that means she's responsible for them. So she immediately gives them a home with her, buys them all clothes, cooks meals for them, and — much to their surprise — treats them just like family. What she won't do, however, is allow them to complete the Book of Darkness. Even if mastering the Book might cure her illness, Hayate says she can't do something which would hurt other people. She does take pleasure in designing the Wolkenritter's combat outfits, although the designs are more decorative than practical. But she is adamant that the knights won't fight for her, nor seek to fill the Book's pages, and she extracts from Signum a promise to that effect.
One day in late October, Dr Ishida takes Signum and Shamal aside to deliver some grave news. The paralysis in Hayate's legs, whose cause remains a mystery, has started spreading up her body — and, if not stopped, will eventually reach her internal organs. Horrified, the Wolkenritter realize what's really happening: because Hayate's linker core isn't fully developed, her body is unable to support the magical link to the Book of Darkness. The Book itself is eating away at Hayate's life force... and, since its activation, the process has accelerated. They decide they have only one option if her life is to be saved: complete the Book of Darkness, giving Hayate full mastery over its power. This will require them to break their promise and disobey her orders — but, for the sake of the mistress they've grown to love, they do so without hesitation.
In the present, Vita is fighting giant magical sand beasts on a desert world. Ignoring injuries and exhaustion, she takes down monster after monster... telling herself over and over that, because Hayate is waiting for her, it doesn't hurt at all.
At TSAB headquarters, Chrono and Amy take Yuuno to meet Admiral Graham's familiars: Liesearia and Lieselotte, twin catgirls who are respective experts in magical and physical combat. They express regrets over being too busy with their duties to help in the Book of Darkness case. Chrono says he wants a different favour from them, and asks if they can help Yuuno search for information in the Infinity Library.
Tropes
- Artificial Human: Invoked and averted. After he describes the Wolkenritter as such, Fate asks Chrono if that means they're like her. Both Lindy and Chrono immediately rebuke her for saying such a thing — telling Fate in no uncertain terms that she's a completely normal human being who was just born in a slightly unusual way.
- Chekhov's Gun: When the Wolkenritter first appear, they refer to Hayate as their "master of the night sky". As will be revealed later, this alludes to the true name of the Book of Darkness — which, interestingly, it's implied that the knights themselves have forgotten.
- Death Before Dishonor: Hayate essentially tells the Wolkenritter she would prefer this. They, however, ultimately decide on the reverse: they accept the dishonour of going against their master's orders, violating their oath and breaking the law, rather than allow Hayate to die.
- Flashback: More than half the episode is devoted to showing how the Wolkenritter became Hayate's family, along with the long-awaited reveal of just why they've been doing what they're doing.
- The Cameo: Suzuka's maid Farin makes a very brief appearance near the start of the episode; she is otherwise largely absent from this season. Noel has a fractionally larger role as she drives Hayate home.
- The Reveal: We learn why the Wolkenritter are trying to complete the Book of Darkness, and why they're keeping their activities secret from Hayate. We also finally see the events that followed on from the Book's awakening back at the start of episode 1. These reveals are only for the benefit of the audience, however — the protagonists remain in the dark.
